Prey
by inkspot78
Summary: A sniper is on the loose
1. Default Chapter

The following is a piece of fan fiction and is not meant to infringe on the copyrights of its creators. No money is being made from this writing. I do not own the rights to the characters of the show, just borrowed them for this story.  
  
This story is rated R for violence and language.  
  
  
  
PREY  
  
  
  
  
Brandi and Mark took a long walk along the beach, holding hands and cuddling like newlyweds. They had watched the sunset while sitting on the rocks near the water but now the bright full moon cast it's light upon the dark sea.  
  
Hours passed as they talked and held each other. Mark happened to glance at his watch, "Geez, it's almost midnight, we better get going."  
  
"Why? Do you turn into a pumpkin or something?"  
  
"No, more like a walking zombie if I don't get some sleep. I have a stake-out tomorrow at six."  
  
"Oh you poor baby," Brandi said as she kissed him. He helped her up and they headed to the parking lot.  
  
As they walked across the parking lot they joked about a show they had seen on TV the night before. But as they were consumed by what each other had to say they had no idea that a man had the scope of his rifle trained in their direction. He scanned around the lot and saw only a few other people around other than Brandi and Mark but they weren't close to where they were.  
  
"Oh please! It was the stupidest thing!" Brandi said as they continued discussing the show.  
  
"It was funny!" Mark answered.  
  
The man adjusted the night vision on his scope and watched their every move.  
  
"Gimmie a break! Okay, why do they think that women fall down when they walk? Like we trip over the slightest pebble and sprain our ankles. I hate when they portray women as being stupid and clumsy."  
  
"It's just a show."  
  
Brandi laughed but was appalled that he felt that way. "Watch. I'm going to go over there by that SUV and walk from there back to here and I bet you a million dollars I won't fall down in the process." Mark stood where he was, his arms folded across his chest. He laughed as she walked about 30 feet away from him and turned around. She gave him a smart-ass look and was just about to take a step forward when she suddenly felt a searing pain in her right shoulder, sending her to her knees. The world seemed distant for a moment and then zoomed back into focus when she felt the shower of glass hitting her face and heard Mark screaming her name.  
  
Mark dove behind the nearest car and took cover, still calling Brandi's name as he pulled out his weapon. Brandi realized she needed to get on the other side of the SUV, out of the line of fire. She got down on her stomach and crawled under the SUV, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. More bullets came her way but they quickly became a part of the SUV's fenders. She made it to the other side and then leaned up against the back wheel. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might lunge out of her chest. With each breath came pain.  
  
Mark made his way over to her and immediately inspected the wound in her shoulder, "Dammit. You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so," she said in a haze.  
  
He leaned her forward slightly and looked at her back, "It went all the way through. Hopefully it went through clean."  
  
Brandi felt the warmness of her blood oozing all over her hand as she pressed against the entrance wound, "I'm not gonna look at it because if I do I'll pass out for sure. I don't mind watching horror movies and stuff but when it's the real thing I become a big wimp."  
  
Mark took the bottom of his shirt and dabbed at the side of her face where the glass had hit her and caused tiny cuts to bleed. "We have to get you out of here." He looked around the lot. "I can't tell where this guy is." He pulled out his cell phone and called the station for back up and an ambulance. After he hung up he tucked the phone back into his pocket.  
  
"He's probably gone by now," Brandi said. She started to feel woozy from blood loss and felt it hard to focus.  
  
"I'm gonna go get my car and drive over here to get you. Stay right here and DON'T move!" He reached behind her to the waistband of her pants and pulled out her gun, putting it in her right hand, which hung loosely by her side. "You might need it." He gave her a kiss and then made his way across the lot. But within a few seconds more shots rang out. Glass from car windows shattered from every direction causing a symphony of noise.  
  
"Mark!" Brandi yelled to him. The noise of the shattering glass stopped as it settled on the ground and she yelled again. But she didn't hear anything back. "Oh God no. Mark!!" she yelled as loud as she could. Still there was no answer.  
  
Brandi checked her gun to see how much ammunition she had. Six bullets weren't much compared to the endless amount the shooter had, she figured. Slowly she got to her knees, still keeping her left hand tight against her shoulder. The pain was intense and she did all she could to keep it off her mind.   
  
Inch by inch she made her way towards where Mark had gone. The chips of glass on the pavement dug into knees but there was no way to avoid it, it was everywhere. She made it over to a van and stopped to rest and gather her strength. She leaned back and closed her eyes, feeling the sweat beating down her face and the blood dripping down her chest and back. She opened her eyes and the world went in and out of focus. She shook it off and glanced over to her right. She could see Mark's sneakers sticking out near the front end of one of the cars. "Mark!" she yelled as she stuffed away the pain and made her way towards him.  
  
When she got to him she immediately noticed the pool of blood underneath him. He was lying on his back, his chest covered in blood. She sat down beside him, put her gun down and took his hand. She felt for a pulse and felt a weak one. "Don't you die on me!" She started to cry. "Hang on. Help is coming." Tears fell from her eyes as she clutched his hand. She was hoping he'd open his eyes and look at her but he didn't. She held onto his hand and squeezed it, "I'm sorry that I said I wouldn't marry you. It's just that...it scared me. Since no one has ever asked me that before it freaked me out. I...I love you, Mark. Please don't die." Her tears stung the cuts on her face. "I tell you what, when you're better we'll go to Vegas and get married. I want to be your wife forever."   
  
As she sat there with him something caught her eye. A red light was moving around right above her right knee. It looked too familiar but her mind couldn't think fast enough. Soon, another bullet sped her way and slammed into her right leg about four inches above her knee. The force of the bullet knocked her on her side. She knew she was a sitting duck if she stayed where she was so she grabbed her gun and slithered towards the back of the nearest car. Leaning against the back she couldn't help but look down at her leg. Nearly fainting at the sight, she looked away and gritted her teeth.   
  
She felt helpless. Mark was only a few feet away from her and she couldn't help him. She thought that if she moved she'd get shot again and didn't want to take the chance. So she stayed put. Her eyelids felt heavy and she knew that she would soon pass out. But she welcomed it because it would mean an end to the pain, even if it were only temporary.  
  
She shut her eyes and lost track of how long they were closed. When she opened them she saw one of the detectives coming her way. "Over here!" he yelled as he motioned towards her direction.  
  
Paramedics were soon by her side with a gurney. "Mm...Mark," she muttered. She heard bits and pieces of medical terminology but couldn't focus on what they were saying.  
  
"It's okay, they're helping him. Just stay calm and try to stay still," one of the paramedics instructed her.   
  
She thought she had heard her mother's voice in the background and after a moment she knew she wasn't hearing things. Dottie appeared before her, her mouth nearly falling to the ground at the sight of her daughter covered in blood. She rushed to her side, trying not to get in the paramedic's way. "Oh dear God, Brandi! Brandi, are you okay? Talk to me!"  
  
Brandi's eyes were half open and her speech was slow and sluggish, "Mom. Where...where's Mark? Is...is he okay?"  
  
Dottie saw Mark lying on the ground and it didn't look good. "I'm not sure, sweetheart. But I'm sure they're doing everything they can to help him." Brandi started to cry. Dottie wanted so much to hug her and comfort but she couldn't.   
  
One of the paramedics slid a needle into her arm and taped it up so it wouldn't move. "Brandi, we're going to lie you down on the backboard and get you on the gurney. Ready?" Brandi nodded as the paramedics laid her down on the backboard. Brandi squeezed Dottie's hand as the pain flowed through her body. Dottie started to cry as she squeezed.  
  
They loaded her into the ambulance. Dottie took a seat near Brandi's head while the paramedics sat on each side. The siren blasted through the night and they sped off towards the hospital.  
  
During the ride, Dottie stroked Brandi's hair and talked to her about different things. Mostly of stories of when Brandi was little and the crazy things she had done. Brandi's eyes would roll as she tried to stay alert. But the drugs they had given her were preventing her from fully listening.  
  
They arrived at the hospital and they quickly rolled her into the emergency room. The lead paramedic informed the doctor's of her condition. "Female, twenty years of age, GSW to the right upper chest and right thigh. Lost a lot of blood at the scene."  
  
Dottie was still holding onto Brandi's hand when a nurse came over to her. "Ma'am, you have to let go. We need you to wait outside."  
  
Dottie shook her head, "I...I can't leave her alone. She's hurt and in a lot of pain. She needs her mother!"  
  
"Ma'am, please."  
  
Dottie looked at the nurse with a desperate look. Brandi's eyes fluttered open and she whispered to Dottie, "It's okay, mom." It nearly broke Dottie's heart hearing her voice so fragile. She let go of Brandi's hand and backed away as the doctors began to assess Brandi's condition.  
  
"I'm assuming there's an exit due to all of the blood back here," one of the doctors said as he pointed to the blood on the gurney. "Roll her to the left on three. One...two...three." Brandi yelled out in pain as they rolled her onto her left side and examined the exit wound. Dottie had seen enough and fainted onto the floor.  



	2. Prey - part 2

Hours passed and Dottie awoke to the sound of a doctor being paged over the loudspeaker. She looked around at her surroundings and saw Tiny by her side as she lay in bed. "Hey," he said.  
  
"How'd I get here?" she asked.  
  
"You fainted and they put you in one of the exam rooms." He put an arm around her and held her tight.  
  
"Where's Brandi?" she asked as she quickly got up out of the bed. "Is she okay? Where is she?"  
  
Tiny stopped her and sat her back down on the bed, "Calm down, Dottie. She's still in surgery. No word yet."  
  
Dottie buried her head in Tiny's chest and began to cry. "Oh Tiny. I can't lose her this way. It's not supposed to be like this. I'm her mother. I'm the one that's supposed to go first. And why did she have to get shot? She wasn't even on the job."  
  
"I don't know. Life is weird that way. But Brandi's a fighter you know that more than I do. Don't count her out just yet. She's gonna pull through." Tiny did his best to comfort her.  
  
"What about Mark? Have you heard anything?"  
  
"He's still in surgery too. It's not looking too good for him. I was talking to one of the officers from the scene and he said they lost him twice on the way over but were able to revive him. He got shot square in the chest. He has a lot of internal bleeding."  
  
Dottie covered her mouth, "Oh my God. I can't believe this is happening." Dottie go up off the bed and walked over to the chair where her sweatshirt was draped over the back of the chair. She looked at it and began to sob. It had Brandi's blood all over it. She clutched it to her chest, "There was so much blood, Tiny. My poor little girl, there was nothing I could do for her." He came over to her and hugged her. "Brandi has never been one to admit that she's sick or in pain but in the ambulance she said, 'Mom, it hurts.' She held onto my hand like never before." Tears poured from Dottie's eyes. "I want to find the son-of-a-bitch that did this." Her mood suddenly turned to anger. "I want to find him and I want to put a few rounds in him and see how he likes it."  
  
"You better let the police handle this one. This hits too close to home. Plus he's too dangerous."  
  
"Yes, it does hit close to home. All the more reason why I want to nail this asshole!"   
Tiny kissed her on the top of the head as he held her tight.  
  
  
  
  
  
Morning rolled around and Dottie was asleep across Tiny's lap when the doctor approached them. Tiny shook her gently to wake her. She stirred and sat up, "Doctor, how is she?" Dottie felt a huge knot in her stomach.  
  
"She's in I.C.U. and stable. She lost several units of blood so we gave her some transfusions. The bullet that went through her shoulder missed major arteries but it did fracture her scapula when it exited. The bullet in her leg tore a hole in her vastus medialis muscle, the muscle right above her knee. It didn't go all the way through and it took us a while to get it out without causing more damage to her nerves and muscles.  
She's got a long recovery time ahead of her, that's for sure."  
  
"What about Mark Farrell?" Dottie asked.  
  
"Dr. Jameson is still in surgery with him. Does Mark have any family we can contact?"  
  
Dottie suddenly realized that she didn't know much about Mark's family. "Gee, I don't know. I'm sure one of the officers can get some contact information. But please let me know how he is as soon as you can. He and my daughter, they're seeing each other."  
  
"I understand," the doctor said. "As soon as I find out..." Just as he was about to finish his sentence Dr. Jameson came walking down the hall. "There's Dr. Jameson right now." The doctor turned to him, "Hey, Sam. What's Mark's condition?"  
  
Dr. Jameson came over to where they were standing in the hall. He shook his head and Dottie's stomach dropped ten feet. "We did everything we could but he lost too much blood. His organs began to fail due to the blood loss. His heart was badly damaged by the bullet. We brought him back about five times but just got to a point where we couldn't save him again. I'm sorry."  
  
Dottie sat down to absorb what she had just heard. Tiny held onto her and comforted her. "Brandi's going to be completely heartbroken. How am I going to tell her?"  
  
Dr. Jameson walked away, leaving the other doctor with them. "I'm sorry," he said. "Can I get you anything?"  
  
Dottie shook her head, "No. Thank you though. When can I see my daughter?"  
  
"You can sit with her for a few minutes right now if you'd like." Dottie got to her feet and Tiny stayed seated. "Even though there's only supposed to be one person at a time I guess I can bend the rules a bit if you'd both like to go."  
  
Dottie smiled at the doctor, "Thank you." She looked at Tiny as he rose from his seat. She held his hand as they walked down the long, white corridor.  
  
They got to I.C.U. and went into Brandi's room. They tip toed in even though there was no way they'd wake her from her sleep due to the heavy doses of medication they were giving her.  
  
Tiny looked around the room at all the machines and then his eyes fell on Brandi. He felt sick to his stomach at the sight of her with a tube in her throat and I.V. lines coming out of her arms. This tough girl was now fragile and it scared him.  
  
Dottie kissed Brandi on the cheek, "How's my girl? You really know how to scare the crap out of me. You've always been good at that." Dottie rubbed Brandi's right hand. She was afraid to hold it because she didn't want to move that arm too much. "One afternoon I was coming home from work and I saw this group of kids all hanging around in the front yard. I went over to see what the big commotion was about and as I made my way through the crowd I saw Brandi lying on the ground unconscious. She was eight at the time. I thought she was dead because she wasn't moving or anything. I rushed over to her and put my head on her chest and heard her heart beating. I've never felt such a sense of relief. One of the neighborhood bullies had picked a fight with her and knocked her out. She beat him at some game they were playing so he decked her." Tiny chuckled as he thought of the beating the kid must have gotten after Brandi caught up with him again. Dottie laughed as she stroked Brandi's hair, "Yep, scared me half to death." She kissed her on the forehead, "Please don't scare me anymore."  
  
"We better let her rest," Tiny said.  
  
"We'll be back tomorrow morning, sweetheart."  
  
Tiny got closer to Brandi and gave her a kiss on her forehead, "Hang in there kiddo."  
  
They left the room just as the doctor was about to come in and get them. "We'll keep a close eye on her," he assured them.  
  
Dottie shook his hand, "Thank you doctor."  



	3. Prey - part 3

The next morning Dottie arrived at the hospital as soon as visiting hours at begun. She told one of the nurses that she was there to see Brandi. The nurse made her wait while they were transferring her to her own room. After about a half hour Dottie was brought to Brandi's room. They had taken her off the respirator and some of her color was starting to return. Her shoulder wound made it hard to breathe so she had a tube in her nose to help keep her lungs filled with oxygen.  
  
Dottie sat by her left side so she could hold her hand. "Sweetheart?" she said quietly. "Brandi, honey, can you wake up for me?" Brandi remained still. "Brandi?"   
  
While Dottie waited for Brandi to wake up she heard someone come into the room. She looked up and saw a giant teddy bear coming through the door with Ricky behind it. "I thought I'd get my girl a small get well present," he explained as he set the giant bear by her bedside. He gave Dottie a hug and a kiss, "How is she? Tiny called me late last night to tell me what had happened."  
  
"I'm so sorry that I didn't call you. With all that was going on."  
  
Ricky put up his hand, "No need to apologize. You had more important things to worry about." He motioned towards Brandi.  
  
Dottie smiled at him. "The doctor said she's going to be okay. She's down for the count for a while though."  
  
Brandi started to stir and her eyes slowly opened. Her sight was fuzzy at first but things started to come into focus. "Mom," she said softly.  
  
"I'm right here, honey. Are you okay? How do you feel?"  
  
Brandi's brow creased in confusion, "What happened?"  
  
Dottie held onto her hand, "You got hurt last night. You were shot."  
  
Brandi blinked to try and clear her vision, "Ricky."  
  
"How's my girl?"  
  
Brandi thought about her answer as she tried to figure out how she felt. The medication made her feel out of it. Since she was a righty she went to move her right hand up to her face and felt a red hot burning sensation in her shoulder. She shut her eyes tightly against the pain.  
  
"Easy there," Ricky said as he patted her left shoulder.  
  
"Who shot me?" she asked.  
  
"Let's not worry about that right now," Dottie said. "Just relax and rest."  
  
"Who shot me?" she asked again.  
  
Dottie looked at Ricky and then back at Brandi, "Um, we don't know. The police are trying to find him."  
  
Brandi felt sleepy but wanted to stay awake so she could remember what had happened. "Your mom is right, you need to put it out of your mind and relax. The police will handle it."  
  
"The police," Brandi said. "The police. Oh my God."  
  
Dottie could see the panic in Brandi's face, "What?"  
  
"Where's Mark?"  
  
Dottie and Ricky looked at each other and knew that this wasn't the time to tell he that Mark was dead. "He's in another room," Dottie said.  
  
"Is he okay? I remember...I remember the blood."  
  
"He was seriously hurt. They're watching over him though." Dottie hoped Brandi couldn't tell she was lying.  
  
Brandi was getting tired and rambled. "I tried to help. There was a red light."  
  
"Let it go for now, Brandi. You'll have plenty of time to talk about what happened but now isn't the time. We're going to let you get some rest. I'll be back tonight with Tiny. He'll be happy to hear that you're awake." Dottie and Ricky kissed her good bye and left her to get some sleep.   
  
Ricky walked Dottie to her car. "How are you going to tell her about Mark?"  
  
"I don't know. She's going to keep asking about him and will eventually want to see him. She's hurt enough physically, I don't want to hurt her emotionally too." Dottie knew she couldn't put it off forever. There was no easy way and no good time to tell her gut she had to be told.  
  
  
  
Over the next few days Dottie continued to dodge Brandi's questions about Mark. She hated lying to her and it was beginning to get harder and harder to come up with the lies.  
  
Dottie arrived at the hospital in the afternoon. Brandi was sitting up a little watching TV. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she sat next to her.  
  
"A little better today. As long as they keep pumping that pain medication into me I'm good to go." Brandi smiled but Dottie could see the pain in her eyes. "I was thinking, maybe in a few days they'll let me get up and walk around a little bit. Then I can go see Mark."  
  
"Brandi, you're not ready to be walking anywhere. You've got a bullet hole in your leg for God's sake."  
  
"Well, they can wheel me over there then."  
  
Dottie moved her chair closer to the bed and looked Brandi the eyes, "Brandi, there's something I have to tell you. I really wanted to wait until you got a little stronger but I can't avoid it anymore."  
  
Brandi knew that Dottie tended to be over-dramatic at times with little things and she hoped this was one of those times. But the more she looked at her mother's face the more she could tell it was serious. "What? What's the matter?"  
  
Tears started to fall from Dottie's eyes, "Mark," she hesitated. "Mark is gone, Brandi."  
  
"What? What are you saying?" Brandi started to panic and felt her heart leap into her throat.  
  
"Mark was killed that night. I'm so sorry." Dottie got up and did her best to hug Brandi gently.  
  
"No, that can't be right. I was with him and he was alive. He was alive and I was talking to him." She started to cry. "I told him that we were going to get married."  
  
"I'm sorry." It was all Dottie could think to say and didn't quite know what other words could possibly make a difference.  
  
The flow of emotion made Brandi's breathing edgy as her shoulder screamed in pain. "Why didn't you tell me sooner!"  
  
Dottie put her hands gently on Brandi's shoulders, "Try and calm down. You'll tear your stitches. Slow, even breaths."  
  
"Don't tell me to calm down!" As she tried to back away from her mother's touch she leaned her head back and closed her eyes as the pain took hold. "You just told me that the man I loved is dead and you expect me to...to calm down." Brandi held her right shoulder with her left hand in hopes of stemming the pain.  
  
"I'm gonna go get the nurse," Dottie said as she ran out of the room.  
  
Moments later the nurse came into the room with Dottie following close behind her. She did her best to tell Brandi to calm down but Brandi wasn't listening. The nurse pulled out a syringe and filled it from a small bottle. She inserted the needle into Brandi's I.V. and within a few minutes she was sedated. The nurse checked on the stitches to the entrance wound and saw no major tearing. She rolled Brandi onto her side and checked the exit wound. The bandage had blood seeping through it and a couple of the stitches had popped. "She tore a few on her back. I'll get my kit and sew them back up."  
  
Dottie faced Brandi who was now fast asleep, "I'm truly sorry and I wish I could bring him back for you. I know all too well what it's like to lose someone you love."  



	4. Prey - part 4

After a few weeks Brandi was discharged from the hospital. During her stay she hadn't said much and didn't want to talk about Mark.  
  
Dottie got her home and helped her to her room. Brandi walked slowly with the aid of a cane and her mother's support. Dottie got her into bed and propped Brandi's right leg up on some pillows from the sofa. She also made sure she had enough pillows behind her back as well to keep her from lying flat. "You okay like this? Is this comfortable enough?"  
  
Brandi smiled, "Yeah, it's fine. Thanks, mom."  
  
Dottie smiled back for it had been a while since she'd seen her smile. "You want something to eat?"  
  
"Nah, I'm not hungry."  
  
"Okay, maybe later." Dottie turned on the TV and handed her the remote. "I'll be downstairs so just yell if you need me. And NO getting up out of that bed without help, you hear me?"  
  
"Yes, mom, I hear you. Believe me, I couldn't get up by myself even if I wanted to."  
  
Just as Dottie turned to leave the room she heard Ricky's voice at the front door. "Come on in Ricky."  
  
He came into Brandi's room holding a huge bouquet of flowers. "For my girl." He handed her the flowers and bent down to kiss her on the cheek.  
  
"They're beautiful, Ricky. Thank you."  
  
"I'll go get a vase for them," Dottie said as she dashed out of the room.  
  
Ricky took a seat on a beanbag chair in the corner of the room. "So they finally let you out, huh. I hate hospitals. When I was six I had to have my tonsils out and they made me stay there for three days. It was torture, pure torture."  
  
Brandi laughed, "Yeah, it's definitely not the Ritz."  
  
Ricky felt awkward at the sudden silence between them. "Ya know, I don't want to bring it up to upset you but I don't want to appear as if I don't care. But I just want you to know I'm sorry about Mark."  
  
Brandi was able to keep herself from busting out into tears. "Thank you."  
  
Dottie came back with a vase filled with water. She took the flowers from Brandi and arranged them in the vase and set the vase on her desk by the window. "They're gorgeous Ricky," she said as she smelled them.  
  
"Any news on who the shooter is?" Brandi asked.  
  
Ricky looked at Dottie and wasn't sure whether he was supposed to answer but he did anyway. "No. They have a few leads but nothing has panned out yet from what I hear."  
  
"Hey mom, I'm kinda hungry now. Can you get me a sandwich or something?"  
  
"Sure, sweetheart. You want bologna and cheese or ham and cheese?"  
  
"Whichever, doesn't matter." Dottie disappeared to the kitchen leaving Ricky and Brandi alone to talk. "Any chance you could get me a copy of the report?"  
  
Ricky's face contorted, "Noooo, you don't want to go and do that."  
  
"Ricky, I wouldn't ask if I didn't. Come on. Help me out here."  
  
"Your mother will have my head!"  
  
"Please. I need to feel useful somehow. I can't just lay here and wait around for them to catch this guy." She sighed in frustration.  
  
Ricky didn't want Dottie to be mad at him but he understood how Brandi felt. "Okay. Fine. But DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT tell anyone you got the reports from me."  
  
"I owe you big time!"   
  
"Yeah, yeah. Some day I WILL collect."  
  
"How fast can you get them?"  
  
"I have someone that owes me some favors down at the station. I'll go over there now and see what I can get. How can I get them to you without your mother knowing? If I come back later she's going to wonder what's going on."  
  
"See if they have them in electronic files then email them to me. If not, just stick them under the mat at the front door or something."  
  
"How are you going to go out there and get them? You can hardly walk and you're certainly not going to be able to bend over and get them. I'll just make up some excuse that I had to come over again."  
  
Brandi laughed, "I really appreciate this Ricky."  
  
"Yeah, yeah I know. Well, I better get going and let you get your rest. I'll be in touch." He bent down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. He passed Dottie in the hall as she was brining up Brandi's sandwich. "I'll be back tomorrow to check up on the patient."  
  
"See ya later Ricky. Thanks for stopping by and bringing the flowers." Dottie came into Brandi's room and handed her the plate. "You need any help?"  
  
"Mom, I'm not two years old. I can manage."  
  
"I'm not trying to baby you, just concerned. There's a difference."  
  
"A thin line. A very thin line." Brandi set the plate on her lap and picked up the sandwich, taking a small bite. She had to set it down in order to channel surf. "It does suck only having one hand to work with. Trying to eat and channel surf at the same time is a bitch."  
  
Dottie laughed, "She's back to her old self! Well, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me. Tiny is supposed to be coming over in a little while."  
  
"I should be fine, stop worrying."  
  
"I can't help it, it's my job," Dottie said as she left the room.  
  
Brandi put the sandwich aside because she really wasn't hungry. She was eating it to satisfy her mother. She kept thinking of Mark and the time they had spent together. She wondered if she'd ever be able to move on.  
  
  
  
Later that night Brandi received an email from Ricky:  
  
"Brandi,  
  
Attached is a copy of the police report. Remember, you DID NOT get this from me. Delete this email after you read it. And also don't forget that you owe me one!  
  
R."  
  
Brandi downloaded the attachment and then opened the file. She had begun to read it when Dottie knocked at the door and then entered. "I'm heading to bed so I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Brandi shut the top of her laptop to hide the screen, "Mom, do you ever wait to see if I'm going to say 'come in'? No, you don't. You always barge in."  
  
"I'm sorry. Next time I won't do that I promise. What are you working on? It's pretty late. You should get some rest."  
  
"That's all I've done is rest. I'm just emailing some friends that I haven't talked to in a while. I'll probably turn in in a half hour or so."  
  
"Okay, but don't stay up too late. Did you take your pain medication?"  
  
Brandi rolled her eyes, "Yes, a few minutes ago."  
  
Dottie looked at her to make sure she wasn't lying. "You better have, young lady. I know you hate taking them but doctor's orders."  
  
Brandi nodded, "I know, I know."  
  
Dottie gave her a kiss goodnight. "I love you, sweetheart."  
  
"I love you too, mom."  
  
Dottie left the room and closed the door behind her. Brandi opened the laptop up again and began to study the police report. She read over the list of potential suspects and none of the names rang a bell but she did keep going back to one name: George DeWitt. The effect of the drug was starting to kick in as she yawned and found it hard to focus on the computer screen. "George DeWitt," she kept saying over and over. She couldn't put her finger on why that name stood out.  
  
She saved the files onto a floppy disk and shut off the laptop. With a bit of a struggle she set the computer onto the floor beside the bed. She turned off the light and then tried to get comfortable, which seemed nearly impossible. Within a few minutes she was fast asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Brandi woke with a start when she heard Dottie calling to her through the door. "Brandi? Brandi are you up yet?"  
  
She looked at the clock and saw that she had slept most of the morning away, "Yeah mom," she said groggily, "Come in."  
  
"I'm going to be heading out for a while but I wanted to check on you first and help you change those bandages." She set down some gauze pads, tape and ointments on the nightstand.  
  
"Mom, I'm fine. I can manage, I'm not a baby."  
  
"Brandi will you stop it. Stop thinking that you can always take care of yourself. It's okay to have someone do something for you once in a while. Don't be so stubborn." Brandi huffed and let her change them. Dottie felt sick to her stomach when she took the first bandage, the one on her leg. The skin was bruised and red. The stitches made it look even worse. "Oh, Brandi," was all she could say.  
  
"It looks worse than it feels," Brandi said. She lied.  
  
Dottie applied some of the ointment and heard Brandi gasp as the alcohol in it stung and burned. "Sorry. I'm trying to be gentle."  
  
Brandi bit her bottom lip as the pain subsided, "It's okay. That stuff burns like hell."  
  
Dottie applied a fresh bandage and taped it up. She repeated the same thing for the entrance wound and exit wound on Brandi's shoulder. "There. Does that feel any better?"  
  
"A little bit. Thanks."  
  
Dottie gathered up the supplies and headed for the door. "I should only be gone for an hour or so. When I come back we're gonna start those exercises that the doctor wants you to do."  
  
Brandi rolled her eyes, "Do we have to? Can't it wait just another few days?"  
  
"No it can't." Dottie gave her a motherly look. "If you need anything you call me on my cell phone."  
  
"So where are you off to anyway? You seem like something's up."  
  
Dottie hesitated for a moment, "Um, I have to do some errands for Tiny. He's at the bar all day and can't get away."  
  
"Ugh huh." Brandi wasn't buying it.  
  
"I'll be back soon." Dottie left and Brandi waited to hear her car drive away before she picked up her cell phone from the nightstand.   
  
"Hey, Ricky. Listen, is mom coming to see you right now?"  
  
Ricky got the same tone in his voice that Dottie just got, "No. What makes you think that?"  
  
"Quit bullshitting me. What's going on? Mom just bolted out of here and said she had errands to do but I don't believe her."  
  
"Brandi! That's terrible to call your mother a liar," Ricky yelled.  
  
"If the shoe fits. Now what gives?"  
  
She could tell Ricky was wearing a hole in the linoleum as he paced back and forth. Whenever he was nervous he'd walk back and forth a short distance. "Okay, okay. She's coming to see me because we're meeting with Forbes. There was another shooting last night, a guy and his wife. Down by the pier. It happened around midnight."  
  
"That's about the same time our shooting happened. And the pier isn't far from where we were. Do you think there's a pattern?"  
  
"Whoa, whoa wait a minute. You're supposed to be recovering not solving a case from your bed."  
  
"Ricky, you know I need to be involved in this. I need to do it for Mark." Brandi's voice had a quake in it when she said Mark's name. "I looked at the report last night and for some reason one of the guys names seemed familiar. George DeWitt. Know anything about him?"  
  
Ricky sighed and plopped down in his chair. He didn't want to be discussing this with her but under the circumstances he felt he had no choice. "I can probably get some info on him this afternoon when Forbes comes by."  
  
"Great. Email it to me later."  
  
"You know, if your mother finds out I'm dog meat."  
  
"She's not going to find out. Don't worry about it," Brandi assured him.  
  
"Your mom wants to nail this guy as much as you do you know. She's been on Forbes case non-stop to get him to keep moving on this one."  
  
Brandi wanted to cry but gathered her composure. "I don't want her involved in this. I don't want her getting hurt. Please tell me you won't set her up on any undercover assignments or anything with Forbes."  
  
"No way! Besides, I can't set that sort of thing up. I'm just helping them out so they can get more manpower on the case. But I'll have a talk with Forbes this afternoon and make sure he doesn't put your mom in any danger."  
  
"Thanks Ricky. I owe you two now."  
  
"Consider this one a freebie." Dottie walked into Ricky's office and Ricky felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Yeah, well, you tell him either he finds him or he's not going to see a thin dime." He slammed the phone down and looked at Dottie, "Damn bounty hunters. They're not efficient like you and Brandi."  
  
Brandi looked at the phone and then realized that her mom had probably walked into Ricky's office so he had to think fast. She set the phone back on the nightstand and figured she'd try and get up. After a bit of a struggle she sat upright and then eased her feet onto the ground. She took a moment and let the pain wash through her. After it subsided she managed to stand with the help of her cane. She was determined to get to the bathroom on her own. It took a while but she eventually made it there.  
  
  
  
  
An hour or so had passed and Dottie had just pulled into the driveway when she saw a man at the front door. She got out of her car and approached him slowly, "Can I help you?" The man turned around, making Dottie jump when she saw his face. He looked exactly like Mark.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to frighten you. You must be Mrs. Thorson." He extended his hand and she shook it.  
  
"I...I um. It's just that you..." she couldn't help but stare at his face.  
  
"I'm Steven Farrell. It goes without saying but I'm Mark's twin brother."  
  
"I'm so sorry about Mark." Steven just nodded and bowed his head. "So what brings you by?"  
  
"I came by to see Brandi. Mark left her something and he wanted to make sure she got it. I rang the doorbell once but she hasn't come out."  
  
Dottie took him by the arm and led him away from the front door. "Oh, well...Brandi can't get around too well yet because of her leg so she has strict orders to stay put when she's alone." He looked at her and wondered why she was dragging him away. "Look, um, Brandi's had a hard time dealing with Mark's death and if she saw you I don't know how she'd react. Ya know what I mean?"  
  
Steven put a hand to his forehead, "How stupid of me. I'm so sorry. Honestly I didn't mean to come over here and make things hard for her. One of the officers told me that Mark left instructions to give this to her and they figured I should be the one to deliver it."  
  
"I know you didn't mean to." Dottie looked at the small white box tied with a red ribbon that Steven was holding. "Is it okay if I give it to her?"  
  
Steven looked at the box and thought of his brother, "I think that would be okay. I don't know what it is, they didn't tell me. Unfortunately, Mark and I weren't close."  
  
Dottie didn't know what to say and just put a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm sorry to hear that. Mark was a great guy. Very honest and caring, he loved Brandi very much."  
  
"Well, I better be going. Thank you for being there for Mark."   
  
Dottie gave him a hug, "Keep in touch." After breaking the embrace she searched through her pocketbook for one of her business cards to give to him. "Here's my card, our number is on it. If you need anything please call."  
  
"Thank you, I appreciate that."  
  
As he climbed into his car Brandi happened to be walking by the window. She couldn't believe her eyes, "Oh my God, Mark!" She tried to walk quickly to the door, "Mark! Mark wait!" The pain in her leg was furthest from her mind. She got to the front door and opened it, finding Dottie on the other side.  
  
"Brandi! What the hell are you doing out of bed?"  
  
Brandi tried to push past her, "Mark! Mom, tell him to stop. Mark!" she yelled. Steven's car disappeared down the street. Brandi got as far as her car and had to stop. Tears rolled down her face.  
  
Dottie was quickly by her side, "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Mom what is going on?" Brandi was out of breath, beads of sweat formed on her forehead.  
  
"Let's get you back inside and I'll explain." Dottie helped her back into the house and sat her down on the couch. "First tell me what you're doing out of bed when I specifically told you NOT to move until I got back."  
  
Brandi leaned her head back on the couch as the pain lessened and her breathing returned to normal. "I just wanted a quick shower."  
  
Dottie shook her head and gave her a stern look, "DON'T do that again."  
  
Brandi wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "Am I seeing things or was that Mark outside with you in the driveway."  
  
"That was his twin brother Steven."  
  
"Twin brother? Mark never mentioned anything about having a twin brother."  
  
"Well, he can't be lying because they're identical. He said they weren't close so maybe that's why he never mentioned it."  
  
Brandi ran her hand through her wet hair. "I thought I was going crazy. I don't want to be one of those women who sees their boyfriend's face everywhere. So why was he here?"  
  
"He um, he came by to see that you got this," Dottie handed Brandi the white box. "He said that Mark wanted to make sure you got it."  
  
Brandi stared at the box and felt a chill sweep down her spine. "I'm afraid to open it."  
  
"You don't have to open it now if you don't want to. You can open it when you're ready."  
  
Brandi continued to stare at it. Part of her wanted to rip it open while the other part wanted to wait a while. But after a few moments she found herself untying the ribbon. Dottie watched, holding her breath with anticipation. Brandi tossed away the ribbon and then slowly took off the cover to the box. Inside was another small box. "Ugh, leave it to Mark. It's like one of those nesting dolls," Brandi said as she took out the small box. She untied the small ribbon and then lifted the top off, exposing a diamond ring sitting on a bed of cotton. She covered her mouth and began to cry, "Oh Mark."  
  
Dottie peered into the box and saw the engagement ring and began to cry as well. "Come here." Brandi leaned towards Dottie and she hugged her gently. She held her for as long as Brandi needed her to.  



	5. Prey - part 5

Later that night Dottie had come into the living room where Brandi was sitting on the couch. "Mom, can I talk to you about something?"  
  
"Sure, sweetheart. What is it?" Dottie sat down on the coffee table.  
  
"I'm going to be straight with you on something and perhaps we can work together on this one." Brandi stopped to see what Dottie's reaction was but couldn't get a read on her. "I know that you've been working with the police to catch the shooter and I know there was another shooting. I also know that one of the guys on their list could be the one they're looking for."  
  
Dottie's mouth hung open, "What? Where are you getting all this information? Ricky, right? I'm gonna kill him."  
  
"No, Ricky has nothing to do with this. I have some sources and I'm not going to say who they are. But I want to help in the investigation."  
  
"No. No way."  
  
"But mom."  
  
"There's nothing to discuss. You have a lot of healing to do physically and emotionally and this is not something you need to be doing right now."  
  
"Mom, it's the only way I'm going to get past this. I have to feel like I'm doing something instead of sitting here being treated like a baby."  
  
"I'm not treating you like a baby. You have two bullet holes in you. Give yourself a chance to heal. The police are taking care of the case."  
  
Brandi huffed, "Are they? It's been weeks and they haven't done anything." Dottie knew she was right and didn't answer. "All I want is a file on each of the guys they have as suspects."  
  
Dottie got up from the table, "I can't ask them to give me copies of their files."  
  
"Come on, mom. You don't have to ask." Brandi shot her a look.  
  
"I can't do that!"  
  
"Look, all you have to do is borrow them. Borrow them, copy them and put them back. Simple." Dottie shook her head. "Please mom."  
  
"Brandi, I could get in big trouble if I get caught."  
  
"You won't get caught."  
  
Dottie thought about it and really didn't want to do it but if it meant helping Brandi move on then she had no choice. "Fine. I'll get them somehow. Why do you want them so bad?"  
  
One of the guys on the list, "I know the name and I can't place it. If I saw a picture then maybe it'll jog my memory."  
  
"Okay but this is the only thing I'm getting."   
  
"Deal," Brandi agreed.  
  
Tiny came through the front door, "Dottie?"  
  
"We're down here, Tiny."  
  
Tiny came down the stairs and into the living room, "Hey Brandi. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Better, thanks. I guess you're all set to meet with Forbes now that my babysitter is here." Brandi smiled at Dottie who frowned back.  
  
"Well, after the stunt you pulled this morning it proves that I can't leave you alone for even an hour." Tiny laughed as Brandi shook her head. Dottie gave Tiny a kiss goodbye before she dashed out.  
  
"So. You up for a game of cards?" Tiny asked Brandi.  
  
"You ready to lose?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Bring it on," he said as he went in search of the deck.  
  
  
  
  
Later that night Dottie returned home to find Brandi asleep on the couch and Tiny beside her watching TV. She gave him a quick kiss, "How long has she been asleep?"  
  
"A few hours. She took some pain medication and was out like a light. That's some powerful stuff."  
  
Dottie brushed the hair away from Brandi's forehead, "Poor kid must still be in pain."  
  
Tiny turned off the TV and got up slowly, "You want to turn in early?"  
  
Dottie smiled at him, "You tired?"  
  
Tiny smiled back at her, "Mmmaybe."  
  
Dottie set the folder she was holding down on the coffee table and then jumped into Tiny's arms. "Yes, I'm VERY tired," she said as she kissed him. He carried her off to her bedroom where they soon turned off the lights.  
  
In the morning, Brandi woke up from her medicated sleep and realized she wasn't in her bedroom. She slowly sat up. Her muscles were sore from sleeping in the same place all night. She checked her watch and looked around to see if her mother was up. She noticed the folder on the coffee table and reached for them. When she opened it she found the photocopies she had wanted Dottie to get for her. "Go mom," she said aloud.   
  
She thumbed through the pages and then came to the information on George DeWitt. When she saw his mug shot she immediately put the pieces together. "Hey mom!" she yelled. "Mom!"  
  
Dottie came bolting out of her bedroom, tying her bathrobe shut as she ran towards Brandi, "What? Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
"I'm fine." She held up the photo of George DeWitt. "I know where I've seen this guy before."  
  
Dottie put a hand to her own forehead, "Oh my God, you had scared me half to death. I thought you fell or something out here."  
  
Brandi laughed, "You worry too much," she said as she shook her head. "This guy used to run a pawnshop down town a few years ago. I had gone in there with some friends of mine one afternoon after school because my friend Jeremy was looking for a paintball gun because he didn't want to spend the money on a brand new one. The guy gave us the creeps and watched our every move, like we were going to rip him off. Jeremy asked him about the paintball gun but George told him to be a man and buy a real gun. He knew just about EVERYTHING about the guns he had in the store. Rifles, handguns, you name it."  
  
"How'd you know his name was George DeWitt?"  
  
"He told Jeremy his name and told him to call him if he decided to buy a real gun. He also said he'd teach Jeremy how to shoot and Jeremy took him up on the offer, being the crack ass that he is. He lived out in the woods practically and had a firing range set up in the back of his house. When Jeremy was over there, George started telling him about how his wife cheated on him and left him for another man and that all women are nothing but bitches. Jeremy got all freaked out and took off."  
  
"Where is Jeremy now?"  
  
"I don't know. We lost touch after graduation. He's a vagabond and could be anywhere."  
  
"So why didn't you mention this when you first saw George's name?"  
  
"I wanted to be sure it was the same guy before I said anything. But as soon as I saw that photo I knew it was him. I may have only seen him once but he's just so creepy I couldn't forget that face." Dottie picked up the phone and began to dial. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm calling Forbes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He needs to know about this. This could be the guy."  
  
"If you tell Forbes he'll send a bunch of squad cars over to his house, scare him off and we'll never find him."  
  
Dottie heard Forbes' voicemail clicked on. "Brandi, we have to do this by the book. This guy is dangerous, if he's the one. I don't need to tell you that." The beep sounded and she began to leave her message. "Forbes, it's Dottie Thorson. Listen, when you get in give me a call as soon as you get this message. It's about the case. We may have something to go on. Bye." She hung up the phone and saw Brandi pouting. "We have to do it this way."  
  
"All we had to do was go up to his place and pretend we our car broke down or something and needed to use his phone. That way we could get inside and take a look around."  
  
"WE? You can hardly walk and there is NO WAY IN HELL I'd let you put yourself in a position like that. What if he recognized you?"  
  
"Then we'd have a party to celebrate and then I'd kick his ass."  
  
Dottie took a seat next to Brandi, "This isn't funny."  
  
"I know. I'm just trying to deal with it any way I can."  
  
"Well you certainly can't go to this guys house. That's no way to deal with it. We all want to catch this guy and Forbes will ensure that things are done right."  
  
"I know it's him. I can feel it."  
  
  
  
  
Later that morning Forbes returned Dottie's call and she filled him in on what Brandi had told her about DeWitt. By mid-afternoon Forbes had a team of men assembled and surrounded around DeWitt's house.  
  
Forbes went to the front door, accompanied by two fellow detectives, and knocked a few times. He looked around the yard, aware that his men would attack in seconds if there was any trouble. He knocked again and then DeWitt answered the door. "If you're here to sell Bibles and things I'm not interested."  
  
Forbes chuckled, "No, we're not here to sell you anything. If you could step out a little from behind the door though that would help me out a lot."  
  
DeWitt wore a confused look on his face, "What for?"  
  
"I'm a little hard of hearing so I just wanted you to come out here a little bit so I can hear you clearly."  
  
DeWitt stepped out a ways and appeared to be unarmed. "What's this about?" he said sternly.  
  
Forbes held up his badge, "We're from the police department and have a warrant to search the premises."  
  
DeWitt started to panic, "What the hell for? I haven't done anything. Go away." He tried to shut the door but Forbes and the two men prevented him from doing so. DeWitt ran towards the back of the house.  
  
Forbes yelled to the men outside, "He's heading out the back!"  
  
Within a matter of minutes they had DeWitt face down on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back. Meanwhile, the search began inside his home.  
  
  
  
  
Dottie paced the floor as Brandi watched her. "Mom, you're making me dizzy. Sit down."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm just all wound up about what's going on right now over at DeWitt's."  
  
"I thought you had complete faith in Forbes?"  
  
"I do. Don't get me wrong. I just hope it's the right guy and this wasn't a wild goose chase." The phone rang and Dottie practically leaped out of the chair. "Hello?"  
  
"Why don't you and Brandi come down to the station. We have our man," DeWitt said and hung up. Brandi could see the smile on Dottie's face and didn't have to ask who it was.   
  
It felt like it only took a minute to get to the station, Dottie was driving so fast. They met Forbes in the hallway. Dottie stayed close to Brandi's side as she limped along. "We got to his place and he wouldn't let us in. He bolted but we caught him. The guy had an arsenal of guns in closets, behind cabinets, in the ceiling, all over the place. It was like he was ready for a war or something." They went to the interrogation room and stood outside, looking in at DeWitt through the one-way mirror. "We're about to question him on tape right now. Thought you might like to hear what he had to say for himself." Dottie held onto Brandi's right arm, mostly to comfort her from what she was about to hear.  
  
Forbes went into the room and joined the detective who was sitting across from DeWitt. He turned the tape recorder on and got out his notepad. "State your full name."  
  
"You know my damn name," DeWitt said.  
  
"For the record, state your Goddamn name!"  
  
DeWitt frowned, "George W. Dewitt."  
  
"Do you live at 758 Barnstable Lane?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can you tell me where you were on the night of July 15th at approximately eleven thirty?"  
  
DeWitt paused, his eyes shifted back and forth as he thought about what to say. "I was at home."  
  
"Is there anyone that can validate that? Maybe someone called you on the phone or someone came by around that time?"  
  
"No! I live alone. I don't have any friends so no one would call or come by," he said sarcastically.  
  
Forbes jotted some notes into his notebook. "Are you divorced, Mr. DeWitt?"  
  
DeWitt's face turned angry red, "Don't mention my wife! That no good whore! She's gone and I could give two shits."  
  
"So you are divorced?"  
  
"Let's just say she went away and won't come back," DeWitt said with a sleazy smile.  
  
Forbes looked at the other detective and then back to DeWitt. "Do you know where we can get in touch with her?"  
  
DeWitt broke out into a fit of laughter, "Good luck trying."  
  
"So what were you doing on the beach that night, George? It was kinda late. And it was rather odd to be carrying around a gun."  
  
"Okay, so I was at the beach that night. So fucking what!"  
  
"Why'd you go there?" Forbes asked.  
  
DeWitt was still laughing but it became more sadistic. "It's a breeding ground for whores, don't you know that! It's where it all starts."  
  
Brandi could feel her stomach twist into a knot as she listened to him.  
  
"Where what starts?" Forbes asked.  
  
"All those little whores take their men out there to the beach. They walk along the water and make those poor guys THINK they love them. It's all a damn lie! It's crawling with them down there. I just do those guys a favor."  
  
"How so?" Forbes asked as he moved the microphone closer to DeWitt.  
  
"Those poor bastards." DeWitt hung his head and then raised it. "I know what it's like, you know. That bitch did it to me just like all those other bitches do it to those poor guys." Forbes let him ramble. "First I take care of those...those wretched women. I make them feel the pain I felt. Then I put the poor guy out of his misery. He's too far-gone to save. She's already tainted him with her lies. Making him believe there is love between them. After she's gone he's so confused he THINKS he cares about it. So that's why I put them out of their misery. It's the only thing to do."  
  
Dottie covered her mouth in horror as she gripped Brandi's arm.  
  
Forbes felt the acid churning in his stomach after hearing DeWitt's reason for the shootings. "So you shot the women first and then the men."  
  
"Are you deaf? That's what I just said." DeWitt laughed in Forbes' face. "I tell ya though. One of them had a lot of spunk. I shot her and she wanted more."  
  
Dottie ran out of the room fearing that she was about to be sick. Brandi felt the anger brewing inside her and focused on DeWitt. "That no good bastard."  
  
Forbes turned off the recorder, "I've heard enough. Get this asshole out of my face before I rip his face off."  
  
DeWitt laughed as two officers came into the room and took him away. Forbes came out to where Brandi was standing, still staring into the now empty room. "You okay?"  
  
Brandi broke free of her trance, "Yeah. Yeah I'm okay."  
  
"That's one sick mutha."   
  
"Just wish I could have five minutes alone with the guy so I could put a few bullets in him," Brandi said. Dottie soon returned, dabbing at her forehead with a damp paper towel. "You okay, mom?"  
  
"Never mind me, are YOU okay?"  
  
"A little better than I was. At least we caught him before he destroyed anyone else's lives. But there is one thing I'd like to do."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Brandi stood alone by Mark's grave and cried. "I miss you so much Mark." She kissed her fingertips and touched the grave. "You'll always be a part of my heart." She looked at the engagement ring on her finger and then walked away.  
  
  



End file.
